Best budget model amp.... EVER! (Yamaha AX-396)

Member Name: myonlinestuff

Product:	Yamaha AX-396
Date:	06/06/09 (275 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing quality for price.

Disadvantages: None.

If you have found your way here because you've already seen this and were thinking about buying one then don't hold back! I have had this amplifier for at least seven years and it still performs like the day I bought it.

The sound quality is excellent.... and I do mean it! I have run a number of speaker configurations since buying this amp. The first was using 4 bookshelf speakers and a powered subwoofer. Second was to replace all the old speakers with a home made pair of Cerwin Vega's, with 12" drivers and I get get immense amounts of sound out of them.

When they were first built I used to use the amplified sub at the same time but realised that the Vega's were responding to lower frequencies than the sub and using it was pointless!

It should be noted that when buying the amp I bought quality cabling, I use Gale XL315 speaker cable and Cambridge Audio phono cables. There is no doubt that these go towards the overall sound reproduction and increase the detail of the sound but don't forget if the amplifier isn't able to produce a quality sound in the first place no cabling will help.

There are six inputs including a phono stage with earth and the CD player can be routed directly through the amp, bypassing the tone controls. Which are located behind the flap which is the big rectangle next to the output selector and volume control. Behind it is the headphone socket, balance control, loudness, bass and treble controls.

As for outputs this amplifier can run two pairs of speakers at a variety of resistances, Speakers A & B can be switched on or off from the front panel too. I don't remember the rated output in RMS but don't worry my Vega's are 500w a side and I can't get the amp up to full volume. There are two record outputs.

It comes with a remote control which operates other Yamaha Hi-Fi components, with regards to the amp you can use it to adjust volume, change input and put the amp into standby.... Remember to switch it off when you are not using it though!

Have a look through the vents at the top when it arrives and admire the layout, it looks as good inside the case as it does outside.

Summary: What more can I say!? Years of faultless performance speak for themselves!

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